Santa around the world

A man dressed as Santa Claus walks on the wall of the Old City in Jerusalem.

It may have been years since the man known as Santa, Father Christmas, and Santa Claus made an appearance at your chimney, but this year things might be different.

Reports say Santa has been working especially hard to get to places he's neglected over the last few years. From Jerusalem to Karachi, Abidjan to the banks of the Amazon River, Santa has pulled a showstopping stunt for the common good.

After all, it's been a tough year, and the festive season couldn't have come at a better time.

This Christmas, Al Jazeera takes a glimpse at the greatest man that never was.

Palestinian protesters wearing Santa Claus costumes scuffle with Israeli soldiers during clashes at a Bethlehem checkpoint in the occupied West Bank.

A boy paints a picture of Santa Claus ahead of Christmas, along a street in a Karachi slum.

People in Santa Claus outfits hold signs in support of the victims of the attack by Taliban gunmen on the Army Public School during a rally in Karachi. Taliban gunmen broke into the school in the Pakistani city of Peshawar and opened fire on December 16, killing 132 students and nine staff members in the bloodiest massacre the country has seen in years.

A Hindu devotee wearing a Santa Claus costume cleans a part of the banks of the river Ganges in the northern Indian city of Allahabad.

A Santa Claus walks in a hutong, in Beijing, as Christians around the world prepare to celebrate the holy day.

Motorcyclists dressed in Santa Claus and reindeer outfits ride down the streets in downtown Tokyo during a Christmas (***)toy run(***) organised by the Harley Santa Club. Some 500 cyclists took part in the run on December 23, a local holiday, to campaign against child abuse.

A diver dressed as Santa Claus feeds fish inside a fish tank at the Malta National Aquarium in Qawra, outside Valletta.

South Korea(***)s Bukhan San Mountain Rescue Police Captain Kim Chang Gon, wears a Santa Claus costume while rock climbing during an event marking the Christmas holiday season on Buckhan mountain near Seoul.

Guatemalan firefighter Hector Chacon, wearing a Santa Claus outfit, rappels down the Belize bridge to give toys to children living under the bridge in Guatemala City. For the past 17 years, Chacon has arranged for firefighters to dress as Santa Claus and give out toys during Christmas to children living in the poor neighbourhood under the bridge.

A member of the Amigos do Papai Noel [Friends of Santa Claus group] dressed as Santa Claus walks with children after giving out gifts in Careiro da Varzea of Amazonas State, located along the Amazon River banks where the Ribeirinhos [forest dwellers] live. The volunteers have been distributing Christmas gifts to people living in the area since 1998.

People dressed as Santa Claus and the Russian equivalent Father Frost run during a charitable race in Moscow. Five hundred runners took part in the event titled (***)Happy Run(***) held to provide seriously ill children with financial aid, according to organisers.

A Balinese man dressed as Santa Claus teaches orphan children how to surf at a beach in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. Every year in December, surf schools in Bali provide free surf lessons to orphans as part of the Christmas celebrations.

A child sits with Santa Claus in the garden of the presidential palace in Abidjan during a Christmas event organised by the Fondation Children of Africa. The event, organised by Ivory Coast(***)s first lady, Dominique Ouattarra, president of Fondation Children of Africa, welcomed 3,000 children from 16 NGOs and organisations helping children celebrate Christmas at the presidential palace.